Heuristic method of automated and learning control, and building automation systems thereof

ABSTRACT

Apparatuses, systems, and methods of physical-model based building automation using in-situ regression to optimize control systems are presented. A simulation engine is configured to simulate a behavior or a controlled system using a physical model for the controlled system. A data stream comprises data from a controlled system. A training loop is configured to compare an output of a simulation engine to a data stream using a heuristic so that a physical model is regressed in a manner that the output of the simulation engine approaches the data stream.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/921,903 entitled “A Heuristic Method of Automated and LearningControl, and Building Automation Systems Thereof” and filed on Jul. 6,2020, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,392,096 for Troy Aaron Harvey, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/006,715 entitled “AHeuristic Method of Automated and Learning Control, and BuildingAutomation Systems Thereof” and filed on Jun. 12, 2018 now U.S. Pat. No.10,705,492 for Troy Aaron Harvey, which claims the benefit of UnitedStates Provisional Patent Application No. 62/518,497 entitled “AHeuristic Method of Automated and Learning Control, and BuildingAutomation Systems Thereof” and filed on Jun. 12, 2017 for Troy AaronHarvey, each of which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentirety for all purposes.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to control of building systems usingautomated means. More specifically the present disclosure relates to amodel-based building automation system wherein a method of heuristictuning or regression fitting is utilized with live building data toautomatically improve the system model. The present disclosureparticularly addresses the control and automation of HVAC, energy,lighting, and/or irrigation systems.

BACKGROUND

Building automation systems are used in buildings to manage energysystems, HVAC systems, irrigation systems, accessory building systems,controllable building structures, and the like.

There has been little effort toward incorporating these systems into acontroller with a unified operational model, thus allowing a moreintelligent means of managing the energy interrelationships betweenvarious building components and their respective control algorithms.This is due, in part, to the fact that the field has been dominated bymodel-free control loops, which have difficulty managing sophisticated,tightly-coupled systems or adaptively tuning complex models in apredictable manner.

There have been studies exploring the concept of automatedcommissioning, however the methods used to date have typically requiredan occupancy-free training period, during which the building issubjected to an artificial test regime, which limits the potential forretro-commissioning or continuous commissioning. More importantly, thework to date has been limited to simple HVAC systems having topologiesknown a priori, and lacks the ability to scale to complex ad hocarrangements that represent the diversity of building topologies. Inaddition, the existing approaches lack a method of combinedcommissioning of non-HVAC or climate-adaptive energy interactivebuilding components.

Efforts towards closed-loop control system auto-commissioning andoptimization have been limited. Most efforts in the area ofauto-commissioning have focused on a specific problem set, for exampleVAV commissioning, or air handler commissioning. The majority of theefforts to date have focused on manual commissioning through useranalysis of building automation system data, user-driven computer toolsfor management of the commissioning process, commissioning testroutines, or fault detection.

Recently, the most common approach in the industry has been to focus onbuilding and energy monitoring and analytics with the intent ofproviding an energy “dashboard” for the building. The most sophisticatedexamples of dashboards provide statistical based diagnostics ofequipment behavior changes, failures, or the like. This“outside-the-box-looking-in” approach can provide information, butrelies on the administrator to understand the problem and close theloop, both of which are rare occurrences.

Efforts to date have used physical models as a reference, and benchmarkthe reference against the actual building using data mining to createcontrol strategies. This requires a person in the loop, and thus limitsapplicability to projects with means for a highly skilled engineeringteam. It further requires buildings to be tested off-line, which israrely acceptable.

Almost all building controls today are model-free. The model-freeapproach, while simple to implement, becomes quite difficult to manageand optimize as the complexity of the system increases. It also lacksthe inherent self-knowledge to provide new approaches to programming,such as model-driven graphical programming, or govern theinterconnections between components and sub-system synergistics.

Physical model based approaches to date have been limited in scope andspecific to known models defined a-priori. They have thus lacked theability to enable users to create n-complex systems of interconnectedsub-systems by ad hoc means, use simple graphical user interfaces todefine a system, or enable system model to evolve their controloptimization and commissioning over time in situ.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure applies a closed loop, heuristically tuned,model-based control algorithm to building automation.

There are several advantages that can be gained from applyingmodel-based control to building automation systems.

Model based control allows for altering control schemes based onexternal factors including but not limited to weather, occupancy, anduser input. The physical system model allows for simulation of theseexternal factors' effects on building comfort and efficiency. Once theeffects of said factors on the system are known the controller can takethe necessary control actions to compensate for the effects. Forexample, in some embodiments, a building with higher occupancy willrequire less heating or more cooling to offset the heat generated by theoccupants.

Model based control allows for inclusion of predicted external factors.For example, in some embodiments, future weather predictions can betaken into account when deciding on control actions. This would allowthe controller to more effectively utilize resources by building upenergy stores while it is cheap and depleting stores when resources areexpensive. In some embodiments, future occupancy predictions may beincluded in the model-based control system. A schedule may be monitoredand comfort settings may be allowed to be changed to prioritize otherfactors like energy efficiency during times no occupancy is expected.

Model based control enables the system controller to consider any andall external and/or intrinsic influencing factors from all periods oftime, current, past or future. This enables what may be called“future-forward control”. This is the generation of a sequence orcontrol regime prior to the application of the control regime.

Model based control allows for less complicated commissioning. Thecontroller can perform the abstraction of the system into mathematicalmodels. Removing this level of abstraction from the user allows forfaster, easier, more accurate, and more flexible model creation.

Model based control also provides system labeling through a means ofontology. Because the purpose, behavior, and semantics of that behaviorare known statically, the system can interpret the meaning of equipmentor object behavior during runtime. Regressions of equipment modelswithin the scope of their known ontologies enable adaptively fittedmodels in situ, and also detect faults as models lose compliance withtheir fit.

Model based control allows for real time system monitoring and softwarerepair. By including a model of all of the equipment in the system, andsensing equipment performance, the controller may sense equipment faultswhen there is a significant divergence between system simulation outputsand sensor data. Because the controller has a model of the equipment's,sub-system's, or system's predicted operation, any deviation from normaloperation may be investigated automatically. The knowledge of a faultallows for diagnostic, remediation, and/or alerting actions to be takenby the controller. The remediation of soft equipment faults isbeneficial as it replaces the need for human interaction withmalfunctioning equipment.

Model based control allows for changing control actions in response totime varying parameters. These parameters include but are not limited toequipment aging, weather, occupancy, equipment fault, insulation values,resource costs, and/or user input. Each of these parameters will affectcontrol path calculations.

All of the benefits of model-based control systems may be extended byemploying heuristic techniques which adjust based on past regressions.By allowing the model to be tuned by heuristics based on pastregressions, the model can compensate for inaccuracies in the originallyincluded data. The model can also interpolate unknown values tofacilitate more complete system optimization.

While model based control can require increased user handling ofparameters to fit a model to a controlled application, the presentdisclosure describes a methodology by which real-time regressions ofstored “future-forward” control predicted sequences are compared to theactual time series of events as resulting from that control. Thismethodology can allow model based control to automate a system, thenconstantly learn from the system to tune its parameters so that onlylimited data is required to set up a system. This disclosure describesthe method by which a fitted system can detect the system falling out ofcompliance through the same regression methodology.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To further clarify various aspects of some example embodiments of thepresent disclosure, a more particular description of the disclosure willbe rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof that areillustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that thedrawings depict only illustrated embodiments of the disclosure and aretherefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The disclosurewill be described and explained with additional specificity and detailthrough the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 —Physical model system block diagram;

FIG. 2 —Historical and predicted sensor values and time-series thereof;

FIG. 3 —Heuristic or regression fitting method;

FIG. 4 —Architectural embodiment of an example of a simple controlledsystem;

FIG. 5 —Architectural embodiment of a building control loop;

FIG. 6 —Architectural embodiment of a building control loop containing asimulation engine wherein the simulation engine contains a physicalmodel;

FIG. 7 —Architectural embodiment of a building control loop containing asimulation engine and cost function wherein the simulation enginecontains a physical model;

FIG. 8 —Architectural embodiment of a building control loop containing asimulation engine and cost function wherein the simulation enginecontains a physical model, which is tuned, based on past regressions;and

FIG. 9 —Selection of optimal control regime from candidate controlregimes.

DESCRIPTION

The embodiments of the present disclosure described herein are notintended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the preciseforms disclosed in the following detailed description. Rather, theembodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the artmay appreciate and understand the principles and practices of thepresent disclosure.

The following embodiments and the accompanying drawings, which areincorporated into and form part of this disclosure, illustrateembodiments of the disclosure and together with the description, serveto explain the principles of the disclosure. To the accomplishment ofthe foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of thedisclosure are described herein in connection with the followingdescription and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative,however of, but a few of the various ways in which the principles of thedisclosure can be employed and the subject disclosure is intended toinclude all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages andnovel features of the disclosure will become apparent from the followingdetailed description of the disclosure when considered in conjunctionwith the drawings.

Explanation will be made below with reference to the figures referencedabove for illustrative embodiments concerning the predictive buildingcontrol loop according to the current disclosure.

A building control system contains a control loop 500 such asillustrated in FIG. 5 . The control loop contains a controller 502 thatmakes decisions based on sensor 506 data or some other feedbackmechanism. The control decisions are then applied to the controlledsystem 504. The controller 502 may be comprised of systems including butnot limited to software, hardware, mechanical, and/or cloud basedsystems. The resulting effects on the system 504 are monitored by thefeedback mechanism. An example of a building control loop 500 is: thesensor 506 data is comprised of an air temperature sensor 506, thecontroller 502 is comprised of a thermostat, and the controlled system504 is comprised of a furnace, fan, air conditioner, and building. Inthis case the furnace and air conditioner are sources, the fan is atransport, and the building is a sink. The controlled system 504 can berepresented as in FIG. 1 ; a system 100 comprised of sources 102, sinks104, and transports 106, possibly with other intermediate components108.

Another embodiment of a controlled system 504 is shown in FIG. 4 . InFIG. 4 the controlled system 504 is comprised of a heat exchanger 402acting as a source 102, a pump 406 as a transport 106, and a storagetank 404 as a sink 104.

One embodiment 200 in FIG. 2 shows how multiple sensors 506 maysimultaneously feed data back to the controller 502 in a time series.This time series data may then be extended into the future by outputs ofthe simulation engine 602.

The simulation engine 602 output may be compared with the actual sensor506 data as shown in FIG. 3 . By using a heuristic tuning method 300 anydifference between the simulation engine 602 output and the sensor 506data can be used to tune the physical model 604 parameters to betterrepresent the controlled system 504. By constantly optimizing the model604, any uncertainty or inaccuracy in the model(s) 604 can be rectified.

FIG. 6 shows a controller 502 containing a simulation engine 602. Thesimulation engine 602 in FIG. 6 may allow the building system controller502 to predict the outcome of any available control action using itsphysical model 604 of the system 504. Said predictions have manybenefits, some of which are detailed below.

The physical model 604 is defined as any model of the controlled system504. The physical model 604 may be time variant. One form of timevariance that may be included in the physical model 604 is comprised ofheuristics. By employing heuristics, any control action may beevaluated, based on feedback from sensor 506 data or some other form offeedback, to evaluate whether the control action had the intendedeffect. If the control action did not have the intended effect, thephysical model 604 may be changed to exert more effective controlactions in the future.

FIG. 7 shows how a cost function 702 may be applied to the simulationengine 602. Any and all resources may be given values in the costfunction 702. Said resources include but are not limited to: naturalgas, gasoline, propane, home heating oil, coal, water, electricity,emissions, equipment longevity, heat, and/or time outside of a definedcomfort zone. Any possible control actions may be assessed according tothe cost function 702 in order to discover the optimal control actionaccording to the cost function 702. The cost function 702 may be timevariant. The cost function 702 may be linked with factors including, butnot limited to, monetary value of said resources, user preferences,and/or changes in the physical model 604.

FIG. 8 shows how heuristics may be included in a model-based buildingcontrol system 800. Employing heuristics 802 with the physical model 604allows the model 604 to be adaptive to issues such as time varyingsystem elements, and/or inaccurate or incomplete starting datasets. Bystoring system reactions 802 to past control actions, the physical 604model may be improved. Heuristics 802 may be implemented by comparingthe data stream of the controlled system 504 to the output of thephysical model-based simulation, as they respond to the same controlstimuli. Any difference may be corrected by changing physical model 604inputs to influence the physical model 604 outputs to match the datastream of the real world system 504. The use of a heuristic 802 orregression 802 algorithm to tune physical model 604 parameters allowsfor substantial increases in system optimization, efficiency, andstability.

FIG. 9 shows how candidate control schemes, comprising a collection ofcontrol actions and corresponding valuation of the control actions, maybe evaluated and compared, thus allowing for selection of the optimalcontrol scheme among the candidates.

Although the disclosure has been explained in relation to certainembodiments, it is to be understood that many other possiblemodifications and variations can be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the disclosure.

I claim:
 1. A controller for controlling a controlled system, thecontroller comprising: a memory; and a processor in communication withthe memory and configured to: identify a plurality of candidate controlschemes for controlling the controlled system, wherein each of theplurality of candidate control schemes comprises at least one controlaction; simulate a behavior of the controlled system using a physicalmodel for the controlled system to predict an outcome of a controlaction of at least one of the plurality of candidate control schemes;evaluate the plurality of candidate control schemes based on thesimulation of the behavior of the control system; select a selectedcontrol scheme of the plurality of the candidate control schemes basedon the outcome of evaluating the plurality of candidate control schemes;and apply the selected control regime to the controlled system.
 2. Thecontroller of claim 1, wherein, in evaluating the plurality of candidatecontrol schemes based on the simulation, the processor is configured toassess performance of the control action performance according to a costfunction.
 3. The controller of claim 2, wherein the cost function istime variant.
 4. The controller of claim 1, wherein at least one of theplurality of candidate control schemes comprises a valuation of arespective control action.
 5. The controller of claim 1 whereinsimulating the behavior using the physical model comprises simulatingthe effects of at least one external factor on the controlled system. 6.The controller of claim 5, wherein the at least one external factorcomprises current weather conditions.
 7. The controller of claim 5,wherein the at least one external factor comprises a current occupancy.8. The controller of claim 5, wherein the at least one external factorcomprises input from a user.
 9. The controller of claim 5, wherein theat least one external factor comprises a predicted external factor. 10.The controller of claim 9, wherein the predicted external factorincludes a future weather prediction.
 11. The controller of claim 9,wherein the predicted external factor includes an occupancy schedule.12. A method executed by at least one processor for controlling acontrolled system, the method comprising: identifying, by the at leastone processor, a plurality of candidate control schemes for controllingthe controlled system, wherein each of the plurality of candidatecontrol schemes comprises at least one control action; simulating abehavior of the controlled system using a physical model for thecontrolled system to predict an outcome of a control action of at leastone of the plurality of candidate control schemes; evaluating theplurality of candidate control schemes based on the simulation of thebehavior of the control system; and selecting a selected control schemeof the plurality of the candidate control schemes based on the outcomeof evaluating the plurality of candidate control schemes.
 13. The methodof claim 12, wherein the step of evaluating the plurality of candidatecontrol schemes based on the simulation comprises assessing performanceof the control action performance according to a cost function.
 14. Themethod of claim 13, wherein the cost function is time variant.
 15. Themethod of claim 12, wherein the step of simulating the behavior usingthe physical model comprises simulating the effects of at least oneexternal factor on the controlled system.
 16. The method of claim 15,wherein the at least one external factor comprises current weatherconditions.
 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least oneexternal factor comprises a current occupancy.
 18. The method of claim15, wherein the at least one external factor comprises input from auser.
 19. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one externalfactor comprises a predicted external factor.
 20. The method of claim19, wherein the predicted external factor includes a future weatherprediction.
 21. The method of claim 19, wherein the predicted externalfactor includes an occupancy schedule.
 22. The method of claim 12,further comprising applying the selected control regime to thecontrolled system.
 23. A non-transitory machine-readable storage mediumencoded with instructions for execution by at least one processor forcontrolling a controlled system, the non-transitory machine-readablestorage medium comprising: instructions for identifying, by the at leastone processor, a plurality of candidate control schemes for controllingthe controlled system, wherein each of the plurality of candidatecontrol schemes comprises at least one control action; instructions forsimulating a behavior of the controlled system using a physical modelfor the controlled system to predict an outcome of a control action ofat least one of the plurality of candidate control schemes; instructionsfor evaluating the plurality of candidate control schemes based on thesimulation of the behavior of the control system; instructions forselecting a selected control scheme of the plurality of the candidatecontrol schemes based on the outcome of evaluating the plurality ofcandidate control schemes; and instructions for applying the selectedcontrol regime to the controlled system.
 24. The non-transitorymachine-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the instructionsfor evaluating the plurality of candidate control schemes based on thesimulation comprise instructions for assessing performance of thecontrol action performance according to a time variant cost function.25. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 23,wherein the instructions for simulating the behavior using the physicalmodel comprise instructions for simulating the effects of at least oneexternal factor on the controlled system.